Session 10: Bill Hybels

Intro: movie about and performance by a gifted musician born blind and crippled. His dad works the graveyard shift to have time to push his son around in a wheelchair in the marching band.
The son’s perseverance and the father’s dedication is inspiring.
Hasn’t talked on inspiration in any of the Leadership Conferences because he wanted to do the topic justice.
Four questions

How much does it matter if someone is inspired and motivated? (3% difference? 10%? 30%?)
Whose job is it to keep me motivated?
What is the best way to inspire me?
What would it look like if a church (every one in it) were inspired?

How much does it matter if someone is motivated?

~40% better performance
87% less likely to leave. Fewer sick days, employee theft, etc.
Ex: Jr. High basketball team: During the end of one game the coach said that he [Hybels] was the only one playing with all heart and no fear, then told him to step it up a notch. Played like he was on cocaine. (And they still lost)

Whose job is it to keep me motivated?

For a long time Hybels thought other people were responsible to motivate him: board of elders, wife, pastors, etc.
Saw a passage in Samuel where David had lost a battle, his followers were disgruntled, etc. Says he “went to a quiet spot and encouraged himself.” We are are responsible for motivating ourselves.

How to keep yourself inspired:

Remind yourself of your mission. Keep it clear. Remember Who we are doing it for and why.

Form of war torture: moving dirt piles from one side to another for no reason.
When his calling is clear, is easy to withstand anything. When fuzzy, the work feels like moving piles of dirt.
If you don’t have a clear vision, need to pay the price to walk with God and wait until He reveals Himself. (It will not come cheap) But we need to pursue Him.

Make sure to leverage our spiritual gifts.

Hybels only has three spiritual gifts: leadership, evangelism, teaching
Needs to use them in that order. If he does not, is not effective.

Make sure the people on your team are inspiring people.

Eventually had to de-invite an extremely demotivating person on a team.

By the books you read: Hybels loves reading about people who pay the price of doing what is necessary.
Rub shoulders with exceptionally inspiring people from time to time.
Participate in exceptionally inspiring events. For Hybels these are helping disabled kids at the fishing derby in the Willow Creek pond and helping young churches raise money.

What eents do you need to go to in order to be inspired?

Pay attention to physical disciplines: diet, exercise, etc.
Pay attention to your surroundings in your office

Your environment can motivate or demotivate you.

Have an inspiring recreation outside of work.

Colin Powell fixed Volvos even during war because it pumped him up.
Whart part of nature re-invigorates you? For Hybels it’s water.

Daily practicing spiritual devotions.

Having God speak directly can pump you up for a week.
Saturation reflection: study one chapter of the Bible for an entire year. Changed his life.

Motivating others

The single best way to motivate others is to live a motivated life in front of them.

So, are you willing to pay the price and make the effort to motivate yourself?

Connect your followers to a grander vision.

Telling Ritz-Carlton bellhops, etc. “We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen.”
Principal telling teachers they are not dispensing information but building the future.
Hybels telling the landscape crew that they are shaping the first impressions of their guests.

Learn the inspiration language of your team and speak that language.

Some people want public praise. Some want a gift of a small plaque. One guy just wants to be told that his work is meaningful.

Identify and reduce every demotivating factor if possible.

Frederick Hertzberg in a study about job satisfaction found that even highly motivated people will eventually leave if demotivating factors are not addressed and resolved.
Some examples: unclear job descriptions, meagre salaries, underfunded ministries, etc.

Celebrate every sign of progress towards the team goals.

What would a church look like if everyone were inspired?

Acts 2:42: Devoted. Awe. Started giving to the poor at unprecedented levels. City held them in high esteem.
People have a deep desire to be living in a surpernatural community where people are fired up about God, helping the poor, loving each other, being real with each other.